Her Name's Mary Jane
by BelStar
Summary: This story follows on from the Quarterback Sneak episode. Greg Brady is riding high as a football hero when word reaches his family that he may have got a girl pregnant.
1. Chapter 1

"That was a great game, huh?" said Vicki to her friend Marcia. "I don't think I'll ever forget it!" Marcia replied. "The day Westdale played Fairview and won the League Championship!" Vicki laughed. "And it was all thanks to your brother." Greg Brady had not only played a good clean game - his prowess as a halfback had made the difference to the way it played out. Now Vicki had only one thing on her mind, and that was to hurry over to the lemonade stand before it shut. The crowd was thinning out now but there were a couple of Fairview cheerleaders sitting cross-legged on the grass a few feet from the stand and sipping lemonade through straws. As she went past them, Vicki felt conscious of her Westdale cheerleader outfit but the girls seemed friendly enough. "Hey, well done on the cheers", said one of them.

"You did pretty well too", Vicki answered her.

"We practice quite a lot", said the other cheerleader.

"Lemonade for you, miss?" asked the man behind the stand. "Yes please!" said Vicki. "You got here just in time for the last cupful", the man told her as he served it to her. "Wow, that's a relief, thanks!" she replied. The man quickly stowed all his things in a crate. "Hey sweetie", he asked her, "would you mind keeping an eye on the stand for me? I had to park way over there."

"Sure", said Vicki, and stood behind the stall. The Fairview cheerleaders were still sat on the ground with their lemonade. As Vicki sipped her lemonade, she could hear them talking. "That was quite something about Mary Jane, wasn't it?" said one, and they both giggled.

"Say, who was it fathered her baby?"

"Greg Brady. You know, the halfback in the game just now."

Greg Brady? And it was only five minutes ago that she'd been talking to Marcia. Vicki wanted to hear more but the Fairview girls had got up and were walking away. Vicki took another sip at her lemonade. Poor Mary Jane, whoever she was. Over in the spectator area, she could see the other Bradys talking excitedly. How likely was it that they knew? How likely was it that Greg even knew? "Thanks for that, miss." It was the lemonade man.

"My pleasure", mumbled Vicki. She started heading over to the changing rooms. Maybe she was chicken but she didn't think she could bring herself to say anything to the Bradys right now. Just then, she saw Greg himself. He had changed from his football uniform into his everyday clothes and was being carried on the shoulders of two of his team mates. Quite the local celebrity now – it was dreadful to think of the fall he could be heading for. Marcia and the rest of his family hurried over to greet him.

"Hey, put him down", she heard Mrs. Carol Brady yelling happily, "he's the only halfback we've got in the family!" The two boys crouched down and Greg got to his feet. "We're so proud of you", said Carol, giving him a hug. "Hey Brady", said one of his buddies, punching his shoulder. "Who's the Daddy now?"

"I guess I am", laughed Greg. He hasn't a clue, thought Vicki. Oh, I've just got to get my courage up and say something to one of the family.


	2. Chapter 2

Jan was doing her Math homework on Monday after school when Cindy came into the girls' room, looking anxious. "Jan", she said. "You know your and Marcia's friend Vicki?"

"What about her?"

"Well, I ran into her on the way home from school, and she told me a secret. About Greg."

"What kind of a secret, Cindy?" Cindy didn't say anything. "Come on, Cindy, tell me", pressed Jan. "Is it a little secret or a big secret?"

"It's a big secret", replied Cindy, with troubled eyes. "And it's a pretty awful secret too."

"Well, what in the world is it?" Cindy whispered in Jan's ear. "Greg got a girl pregnant!"

Jan pulled away from Cindy and she gasped. "He didn't! Cindy, are you sure? How did Vicki find out?"

"She heard two cheerleaders from Fairview talking about it."

"Well", said Jan thoughtfully. "Vicki wouldn't make up stories about a thing like that. It's weird. I know!" she said decisively. "We'll see if Peter knows anything." She opened the bathroom door to find Peter standing at the sink, gargling loudly. Noticing Jan and Cindy, he spat the liquid out.

"I was worried that I was coming down with a cold, so I thought I'd better do something about it now", he explained. Jan waited for him to put the glass down. "Peter", she asked him, "has Greg said anything to you about girls?"

Peter laughed. "Well, you know Greg with girls", he told her. "Why, what made you ask?"

Jan sighed. "It's something Cindy heard from Vicki", she said. Peter nonchalantly took another mouthful from the glass, tipped his head back and gargled again. "He got a girl pregnant."

Peter put his head down, looked briefly at his sisters and then choked. Cindy whacked him on the back as he spluttered all over the sink. After a certain amount of coughing and wheezing, he got his breath back. "Greg did?" he asked finally.

"That's what Vicki says", replied Jan.

"Her name's Mary Jane", said Cindy.

"But if Greg was going to… I mean, he'd know what to do to stop the girl getting pregnant, wouldn't he?" asked Peter.

"I don't know", said Jan. Just then, she noticed the door from the bathroom to the boys' room was open just a tiny bit. She pulled it back to reveal the small slight figure of their brother Bobby.

"Don't you know better than to eavesdrop?" Peter asked him. "Well, it looks like Greg didn't know well enough to use birth control", retorted Bobby. Jan sighed and shook her head. "I suppose the best thing would be to tell Alice", she said. "The others aren't back yet." She led the way out of the boys' room and down the stairs.

The four kids trooped into the kitchen, where Alice was preparing pie bases. "Hi kids", she greeted them.

Alice", began Peter. "We, uh, wanted to talk to you because we heard something about Greg."

"He got a girl in the club", blurted Bobby.

"Greg got what girl in what club?" asked Alice in confusion, and then it dawned on her. "Oh, that club", she said, looking perturbed. "Her name's Mary Jane", said Bobby.

"Alice, I hope you've got some cookies", said Cindy. "You're in luck", she replied, "I put a fresh batch in the cookie jar this morning." Jan dished out plates as Alice and the kids passed the jar around.

"Do you think we should tell Mom and Dad?" asked Peter. "Well if it's true, they'll have to find out sooner or later", said Alice. "Hey", said Bobby with a chuckle. "What do you think they'll do to punish Greg?"

Cindy kicked her brother hard under the table. "What Greg'll be put through is going be punishment enough", replied Peter, looking overwhelmed at the thought.

"He'll probably have to give up on college and get a job", commented Jan. "There'll probably be a shot-gun wedding", said Alice. "I can just see the pictures now." Into each mind crept the image of a depressed looking Greg standing outside a church with his arm around a heavily pregnant teenage bride as a photographer urged them to smile for the camera.

"Dad would want him to do the right thing and marry her", sighed Cindy.

Alice was wishing she could make it go away. "I've suspected Greg of having one or two skeletons in his closet for some time now, but nothing to compare to this", she said, shaking her head.

"Peter, Bobby, don't you ever go getting any girls into trouble", Jan told her brothers. "Don't worry", said Peter. "After this, I'm thinking of becoming a monk". All five of them sat in silence, contemplating Greg's dismal future.

Just then, the silence was broken by a familiar cackle. The kids got up at once and peered into the living room. "What's he doing shooting the breeze?" asked Bobby. Greg was stretched out on the couch, chatting on the telephone to one of his friends. "Is that what she said? Out of sight! Well, I can't wait to see her! Tell her it'll be a double date, right? Talk to you later, Kenny!" Greg put the phone down to see Peter, Jan, Bobby, Cindy and Alice all standing round and staring down at him. "Hey, what's the matter?" asked Greg, looking at all their stony faces. "Has someone died?"

"It's the exact opposite of that", replied Cindy. "What do you mean?" said Greg.

"Oh Greg", sighed Alice. "Please don't tell us you're the last to know."


	3. Chapter 3

Greg took a deep breath. "It seems I am the last to know", replied Greg. "And I could do with someone telling me what this is all about."

"I met Vicki coming back from school today", said Cindy in an accusing tone. "And she said you got a girl pregnant." Greg's eyes opened wide. "You're gonna have to marry her", Bobby told him. "It's what Dad would expect you to do", agreed Jan.

"Who is this girl I'm supposed to have got pregnant?" asked Greg. "Her name's Mary Jane", said Cindy. "Mary Jane?" Greg replied. "I don't even know a Mary Jane."

"Greg, Vicki told Cindy it happened", said Jan, "and Vicki wouldn't make up a story like that."

"But that's what it is, as far as I'm concerned", complained Greg. "A story." Just then, Marcia came in through the kitchen. "Hi, what's happening?" she asked them. "Are you going to tell her, Greg?" demanded Bobby.

"Well you kids seem to know more about it than I do", Greg retorted. "About your little encounter with Mary Jane?" taunted Peter.

"Oh Greg", cried Marcia in dismay. "You haven't been smoking marijuana?"

"No!" said Greg. "Apparently there's this girl called Mary Jane who's pregnant, and these dummies think I'm the one who knocked her up."

"And did you?"

"Do you know a Mary Jane at Westdale?" Greg asked her.

"I don't", admitted Marcia. "And I don't know your every move but I think if you were to fool around with girls, you'd try and be careful. Anyway", she turned to the others, "how did you all hear about it?"

"Vicki told me on the way home from school", Cindy said. "I see", Marcia replied. Just then, they all heard the car coming into the driveway. "That'll be your parents now", said Alice. "Don't say anything just yet", Jan told her siblings. As Alice and the four younger kids hurried out to meet them, Greg caught Marcia's eye. She could tell her brother was at his most determined.

"I'm not sticking around to defend myself over something I didn't do", he told her angrily. "Let's skip over to the den", she replied.

Alice, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy met Mike and Carol at the sliding doors. "Mr. and Mrs. Brady, come inside quickly", said Alice.

"Is there anything going on that we should know about?" asked Carol. "I'll tell you indoors", whispered Alice conspiratorially. Once they were all inside, Alice took Carol's arm and led her over to the living room couch, followed by the other five. "Mrs. Brady, you might want to sit down", she advised Carol. "You too, Mr. Brady."

"Alice, would you mind telling us what's going on?" asked Mike, once they were both seated.

"It's Greg", she replied. "What about him?" asked Carol.

Alice's face took on a pained expression. "Oh Mr. and Mrs. Brady, it's terrible", she cried. "Greg went and got a girl pregnant!"

"He did WHAT?" exclaimed Mike. "Is he here now?" asked Carol. In the den, Greg and Marcia could hear the raised voices. "Perhaps you'd better go out there and explain it to them", said Marcia.

"I told you, I'm not going to defend myself over nothing", Greg grumbled. "But this way, it looks as if you have something to hide", reasoned Marcia. "We're in here!" she called to the family. "Keep your mouth shut!" Greg complained.

It was too late. The rest of the family marched into the den, followed by Alice. "Greg, you're going to face up to your responsibilities and do right by that poor girl", stated Carol. Greg still looked angry. "What poor girl?" he argued.

"What poor girl?" echoed Cindy. "Greg, that is a typical male chauvinist reaction."

"You tell him, Cindy", said Jan. "One day he's the biggest flirt at Westdale, the next he's a teenage dad!"

"Well, aren't you two a couple of loudmouths?" commented Marcia, who was also beginning to feel angry.

"Greg, you know perfectly well what girl we're talking about", scolded Carol. "Mary Jane", yelled Peter. "The one you knocked up", yelled Bobby even louder.

"I'm not doing anything for Mary Jane Schmo!" Greg barked back. "Does anyone even know her surname?" At this point, Alice stepped forward.

"Greg Brady, that just about takes the biscuit", she said, shaking her finger at him. "First you get involved with a girl you hardly know and then once you get her in trouble, all you can do is sneer about her. I thought you'd been brought up to be a gentleman. Well", she finished, "I was going to cook meat pie for dinner tonight, but now I've decided we're going to have cheese and pumpkin pie instead."

"But I don't like cheese and pumpkin pie", said Greg

"That's the point, dummy!" shouted Bobby. Alice looked decidedly shaken by the whole thing. "Come on, Alice", said Jan, putting an arm around her shoulder and leading her to the door. "We'll help you chop up the pumpkin." Carol, Peter, Bobby and Cindy followed them.

As the door was pulled shut, Greg sank down into the armchair. "Now even Alice hates me", he sighed.

"I don't hate you, Greg", said Marcia, putting a hand on his arm. "How about you, Dad?" he asked his father.

Mike folded his arms and gazed up at the ceiling for a minute. "My feeling is that we don't know enough about what's really going on", he said. "Or why there's a finger's pointing at you when it strikes me that any young man could have got this girl in the family way."

Marcia sighed. "Cindy said it was Vicki who told her", she said. "And Jan and I both know that Vicki isn't the type to trade in silly gossip. But my instinct is that Greg wouldn't be dumb enough to take any risks with girls..."

"And you'd be right", said Greg.

"…So I think Vicki may simply have been mistaken", she finished.

"Try explaining that to all the others", Greg replied.

"Do you know, maybe I will", decided Mike. "I suspect your mother maybe upstairs – I'm going to try and get her to see sense."


	4. Chapter 4

Carol was sitting at her vanity table dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "I'm disgusted with Greg", she said. "Just disgusted."

"Well honey, I'm not sure that it's a good idea to be too judgmental", replied Mike. "I remember what it's like to be young and…"

"But you didn't go around ruining young girls' lives!" interrupted Carol. "Mike, please don't tell me you're taking Greg's side."

"I'm inclined to think someone has to", said Mike trying to control the tone of his voice. "And I…"

"Right, that's it", Carol said, getting up and heading towards the bed. She picked up one pillow, handed it to Mike and positioned the other one at the center of the bed head. "I don't want you in this room tonight", she told him.

"Carol!"

"Mom, dinner's almost ready!" Peter yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "From what I remember, you don't care for cheese and pumpkin pie either", she said. "So maybe you'd better join Greg for dinner." With that, Carol strode out of the room, shouting "I'm just coming!" Mike went to the bedroom door, waited till she was out of sight and then made his way to the attic door. He used the secret knock he had invented for Greg and his friends when they were younger and mad about playing soldiers. "Is that you, Dad", said Greg's voice from the attic. "Come on up." Mike made his way to the top of the stairs, where Greg and Marcia were waiting.

"I guess it didn't go too well with Mom", observed Greg, noticing the pillow in Mike's hand.

"I'll just have to grab a sleeping bag from the garage", sighed Mike. "I think I will too", decided Marcia. "I've already had enough of little Miss Jan and little Miss Cindy for one evening."

Suddenly, Mike smiled and took out his wallet. "Tonight I'm going to treat my two oldest children to a meal. Greg, you name the place!"

"How about Dina's Diner?" said Greg. "Perfect", said Marcia. "A man after my own heart", exclaimed Mike. "Now let's make tracks!"

Greg grabbed his jacket and they set off downstairs. Carol, Alice and the other kids all seemed to be eating in the kitchen this evening. However, Jan came into the living room just as the three of them reached the bottom of the stairs.

"I see you've picked a side", said Jan looking straight at Marcia.

"And I'm staying on it, thank you very much", Marcia told her. "The three of us are eating out this evening. Enjoy your dinner!" Jan turned on her heel and walked back into the kitchen.

"Talk about your house divided", said Mike, once they were in the convertible. "Looks like I'm guilty till proven innocent now", complained Greg, buckling his seat-belt. "Hey, that's what we'll do", cried Marcia from the back seat. "Try and prove your innocence! I just need to go back indoors and get something."

She got out of the car again, unlocked the door, and ran through the living room and up the stairs, not caring if anyone heard her. When she got back to the convertible, Greg noticed she had her shoulder bag with her, along with something large in it. It was only when they were seated at the diner that she showed Greg and Mike what it was.

"It's a Westdale yearbook!" exclaimed Greg. "That's right", said Marcia. "I thought we should try investigating who this Mary Jane is."

"But what if she's a freshman?" asked Mike. "If she is, she won't be in the yearbook."

"Oh, I've got that covered too", replied Marcia. "I was part of the Student Welcoming Committee in September, so I have a list of everybody in freshman year". She handed Mike the list. A waitress came over and they all ordered burgers and shakes. "We'll find it easy going through the yearbook", Marcia explained. "Greg, I don't know if you ever noticed but the kids who put the yearbook together had everybody's first names in alphabetical order instead of their surnames."

"Oh, I see", Greg smiled, "so it would go George, Graham, Greg."

"Or Mandy, Marcia, Mary Jane", laughed Marcia.

While eating their burgers, Greg and Marcia pored over the yearbook, and Mike went through all the freshmen girls from Abrahams to Zito; but nobody found a Mary Jane. "Never mind, Greg, it's one step towards clearing your name", said Mike. "I'll drink to that", replied Greg, holding up his milkshake. "Hey listen", he continued. "I just want to thank you both for believing in me, it really means a lot."

"Well I'd say that it's a wise sister who knows her own brother", replied Marcia, and she kissed Greg on the cheek. "Dad, if I sleep in the den tonight, will you be alright in Greg's room?"

"I should think so", said Mike.

"Hey Dad", said Greg. "I know what we should do. Why don't we teach Marcia the secret knock?" Marcia smiled. "That'd be groovy", she said.


	5. Chapter 5

"Jan? Cindy?"

Where are they, thought Marcia, and then she remembered. This was the den, and she'd slept the entire night in a sleeping bag on the couch instead of being in her own bed. And instead of wearing her nightgown, she had on a combination of Greg's old baseball shirt and a pair of his old pajama pants which had shrunk in the wash. She glanced at the clock. It was still quite early. Just then, she heard a knock at the door. It wasn't the secret knock but she decided to open it anyway.

"Hi Marcia", said a sheepish looking Peter and Jan together. Peter was carrying a tray of breakfast things, while Jan was holding a few of Marcia's clothes and her wash bag. "We figured maybe you'd been sleeping in the den", said Peter.

"What in the world are you two doing here", asked Marcia. "Um, we also figured that maybe we hadn't been fair to Greg", explained Jan.

"Well you should be saying that to Greg, not to me", replied Marcia. "And I think he'd like some of that breakfast."

Peter and Jan looked at each other. "Come with me", she told them, and she led them upstairs to the door of the attic room before giving the secret knock. "Come on up, Marcia", she heard Greg calling.

"Greg, Dad, would you two like breakfast in bed?" she called merrily as she climbed up the attic stairs with Peter and Jan behind her.

"Say", said Mike to Peter and Jan. "Have you two defected?"

"Greg, we're sorry", said Peter, putting the breakfast tray on Greg's desk. "The two of us were talking it over…"

"…and we realized we only had hearsay evidence to go on", continued Jan, as she handed Marcia's things to her.

"We behaved like jerks to you", concluded Peter. "Greg, please forgive us."

"I don't know whether I should", Greg replied. "It's not every guy who gets frozen out by his own family…" Jan looked as if she was about to cry.

"But then again, I guess I got too angry, and I didn't handle things very well yesterday. And you two just wanted to see the right thing happen by this Mary Jane, so yes, I can forgive you – oh Jan, don't cry", he said, as Jan burst into tears.

Jan wept on Greg's shoulder as he hugged her. "You know what you can do to make it up to me?" he said, letting her go. "What's that?" she asked him.

"We're going to track down Mary Jane so we can get this whole thing straightened out", he told her. "And there'll probably be some way for you and Peter to help me."

"We'll do anything", she said, smiling through her tears. "Anything the three of you ask for", said Peter, clapping him on the shoulder and grinning at Marcia and Mike.

"Well right now, I'd like you all to excuse me", said Marcia, still with her wash bag in her hand. "I can never eat breakfast in the morning until I've brushed my teeth."

"You know where the sink is, Marsh", smiled Greg. Marcia went over to the sink and began brushing her teeth. "Hey, this looks fantastic", said Mike, going over to the breakfast tray and helping himself. "Pancakes with jam!"

"We made the pancakes between us", grinned Peter. He and Jan had also included orange juice, sausages and fruit. The five of them ate their breakfast sitting cross-legged on Greg's floor. Jan in particular was feeling better for having a good breakfast. "Hey, I've just remembered something!" she told the others. "Cindy said that the story about Greg and Mary Jane came from Vicki overhearing two cheerleaders from Fairview."

"Fairview", groaned Greg. The long-standing rivalry between Westdale and Fairview did not appear likely to die down any time soon.

"So it's quite likely that Mary Jane goes to Fairview", said Mike. "And it's just possible that she's a cheerleader herself."

"If that's the case, then I can't go anywhere near Fairview", Greg stated. "Everyone there knows who Greg Brady is, and it's ten to one they'll all be gossiping about me."

"I wouldn't say that everyone in Fairview knows who I am", said Marcia. "But Jerry Rogers certainly does, and I expect he'd let everyone know." Jerry Rogers was the Fairview quarterback who had briefly gone out with Marcia as part of a subterfuge to steal the Westdale playbook.

"Well Jan and Peter", Mike said. "It looks as if whatever we decide to do will have to revolve around you two."

"I think I have an idea for what we could do, Dad", smiled Jan. "But it would mean Pete and I taking a day off school." Mike frowned. "You're asking me to allow you to play hooky?" he asked her.

"Look, all you'd have to do is ring their school and say they're sick", Marcia reasoned.

"I need all the help I can get right now, Dad", pleaded Greg.

"Okay, Jan. Since it's to help your brother, I'll allow it", said Mike. "Just this once. And if you do manage to get to the bottom of this, then ring me at work."


	6. Chapter 6

While riding her bike, Jan contemplated the busy day she had ahead of her. It's all to clear the Brady name, she thought to herself, so it'll all be worth it. Jan's first port of call that morning was Haskell's Ice Cream Hut, where she worked most days after school. She hadn't been in the previous day because on Mondays, business was normally slow enough for Mr. Haskell to run the shop without her. Cycling round to the back of the premises, she found Mr. Haskell bringing in supplies. "Good morning, Jan", he greeted her. "I wasn't expecting to see you so early. You're not going to be late for school, are you?"

"Oh no, I won't be late", she said. "Mr. Haskell, I've just had the most fantastic idea for a promotion this week. Why don't we offer a free dessert for cheerleaders?"

"A free dessert for cheerleaders?" asked Mr. Haskell, looking slightly confused.

"That's right", Jan told him. "Any girl who comes in wearing a recognized cheerleader outfit from a school in this area is given a special dessert for free. I've already made a notice." She took a binder from her shoulder bag and produced a sign, which Mr. Haskell read it out loud. "Calling All Cheerleaders! Come to Haskell's Ice Cream Hut This Week Wearing Your Cheerleader Uniform and We'll Provide You with a Complimentary Dessert Dedicated to You." There was also a picture of a jumping cheerleader on the sign.

"What do you think?" Jan asked eagerly. "I drew the cheerleader myself."

"Let me see", replied Mr. Haskell. "If we have a lot of teenage girls here… in those little skirts… then we'll have a lot of teenage boys coming in here too! I like your thinking, Jan, we'll do it! I'll put your notice on the door right now."

"Thanks, Mr. Haskell!" cried Jan. "I'll see you again this afternoon."

"See you later", said Mr. Haskell, and Jan cycled away. Waiting for her a few blocks along the road was Peter, who was also on his bike. "He said yes!" she shouted to Peter when she saw him. "Super!" he shouted back. "Have you got the rest of them?" she asked him. He opened his satchel to reveal a dozen other signs similar to the one she had left with Mr. Haskell, and handed half of them over to her. Mike, Jan and her older siblings had spent a busy half hour creating them earlier that morning. "I got plenty of thumb tacks too", he grinned.

"Fantastic, let's go", she replied. They both cycled over to their next stop, which was Fairview High School.

"Wow", said Peter as the two of them locked their bikes in the bike shed. "Fairview's pretty big!"

"You know, I think Westdale's a bit bigger", responded Jan, and they walked over to the main entrance of the school. As soon as they got inside, they saw a large pin board. "Great", said Peter, "that's our first target", and he pinned one of the signs up on the board where plenty of people could see it. "Okay", he said to Jan as they gazed at the crowds of students milling around. "Where do we go now?"

"I know what to do", she said. She walked up to a group of three boys. "Excuse me", she said. "I'm new here. Can you tell me how to find the gym?"

"You see that corridor over there?" said one of the boys. "You just go along to the end and turn right. Say, what's your name?"

"It's Jan Br-, it's Jan Breckermeyer", she told him, thinking it best not to use the name Brady.

"Well Jan Breckermeyer, you're kind of cute", said the boy, leering at her. "Would you like to meet up with me at lunch time?"

"She's with me", snapped Peter, putting an arm across her shoulder and leading her away. "So the gym's along here", he said.

"Thanks for rescuing me", said Jan. "Don't think anything of it", replied Peter. "I think we'd better stick together as much as possible." Jan nodded her assent. They soon found the gym, which had a slightly smaller pin board outside it.

"Target number two", Jan said to Peter, as the bell went. "Hey, look at that!" Peter exclaimed, pointing to a poster already on the notice board. Jan's eyes went straight to the photograph on the poster. It was a picture of Greg in his football shirt. Stencilled above the picture in bold capitals was the word 'WANTED'.

"The team photographer must have taken that picture the last time Westdale played Fairview", said Peter. "It would have been right after the game." Greg looked as if he had just taken his helmet off, and he was tired and sweaty. Below the picture, it said, "Come and see Fairview take on Greg Brady and the other clowns on the Westdale team. You know we can beat them and win the Championship!" Under that, it gave the date, location and time for last Saturday's game.

"Well, they got that wrong", observed Jan. "Westdale have the Championship now."

There were two similar 'Wanted' posters announcing previous games – one showing Elwood Shapps, the talented quarterback from Stephen Decatur High, and the other with Alfonso Berry, Coolidge High School's halfback and star player. Jan thought about her father's comments on politics. "Isn't that what Dad calls negative campaigning?" she asked Peter.

"Talk about how rotten the other guy is rather than how great you are", he replied. "Yeah, I suppose it is."

Jan sighed. "That Jerry Rogers sure played dirty, trying to schmooze Marcia and then steal the playbook. I don't know why Fairview can't just say 'We're a great team' and leave it at that."

"Instead of trying to bring down the opposition like they do", Peter agreed. Shaking her head, Jan took out another Haskell's sign and pinned it on the board.

Wandering back out of the gym area, Peter was drumming his fingers against his satchel and Jan was hugging her binder to her chest. The corridors were almost deserted. All except the odd member of staff. "Move along, you two, you're late!" a large male teacher barked at them. Self-consciously, Peter and Jan picked up the pace. Ahead of them, they could see two more teachers - a young man in brown and an older woman in orange, who were in discussion. Just act natural, Jan thought to herself, and try to look as if you know where you're going.

As she and Peter approached them, she caught the woman saying, "Yes, that dark-haired boy and the girl with blond hair." Peter looked straight ahead while Jan stared down at her binder. The teachers spoke more quietly as the two kids went past them. They don't know who we are, they don't know who we are, Jan repeated to herself in her head. She and Peter made it as far as the end of the corridor when they heard a voice. "Hey, the boy and girl over there", called the woman. "Isn't your name Brady?"


	7. Chapter 7

Peter and Jan turned round, looking guilty. The woman looked at them and smiled. "My name's Mrs. Kandinsky and I'm a substitute teacher here", she told them. "I had to stop you because I thought I recognized you."

"She must teach at lots of other schools", Jan whispered to Peter. "Do you think maybe she knows us from Filmore?" Peter tried to remember all the different substitute teachers he'd had but Mrs. Kandinsky didn't seem at all familiar. "We'll just have to find out", he replied, and they both started walking towards her. She clasped her hands gave them an even bigger smile.

"Now, am I right in thinking you two were on the Hal Burton show?" she asked.

"Uh…yeah, we were on that show", Jan admitted. She certainly hadn't expected anyone to remember them from the television.

"So you two are part of the Brady Six. My husband and kids and I just love your act! And do you know, my husband bought this special gizmo that records TV programs, so after we've seen a show once, we can see it again as many times as we want. And we always record the Hal Burton show, so we have recordings of all your appearances. My daughters Greta and Jenna watch them over and over – in fact, they can do all of your dance routines. Just look at this!" The teacher pulled a small photo album from her pocket and opened it up. Inside were pictures of two girls of around eight or nine enthusiastically performing the moves from the 'Good Time Music' dance routine in what must have been the Kandinskys' back yard. They'd even tried to copy Marcia, Jan and Cindy's look on the show by dressing up in their nightgowns.

At any other time, Peter and Jan would have been thrilled to know that people loved the Brady Six so much but now they were running around Fairview, their biggest concern was keeping a low profile. However, now that they had been recognized, there was no point in appearing ungracious. "Wow", exclaimed Jan, looking through the pictures. "It looks like they're having fun!"

"Can you kids do me a favour?" Mrs. Kandinsky asked them. "Please can I have your autographs for my girls", and she handed them a blank sheet of paper. Peter and Jan both wrote brief messages to the girls and signed their names. "I think it's time you two were hurrying along now", said the man in brown. "Thank you both so much", said Mrs. Kandinsky, "and maybe I'll see you again soon."

"Bye", said Peter. "Nice to meet you", added Jan, and the two Bradys hurried away. "I had no idea we had that much of a following!" exclaimed Peter. "Well, in the Kandinsky house we do", replied Jan. "I can't think of anyone else who would record our act though, can you?" Peter thought, and then he looked a little disappointed. "I think Dad was right telling us we weren't hitting the big time", he admitted. "It was fun though, so I don't mind really that we didn't hit the big time – on look!"

Peter and Jan had stumbled upon the school cafeteria. "Target number three", they said to each other. They went in through the double doors and spotted two pin boards at opposite ends of the room. "Targets number three and four!" exclaimed Peter. As he went one way, Jan went the other. From the kitchen, there were sounds of lunch being prepared but there was no-one to see them. Laughing, they both pinned up their signs and hurried back out again just as the door to the kitchen opened and a man started yelling at them to get back to class. With no idea of which direction to run, Peter and Jan dashed all the way up a nearby flight of stairs.

"Is he still after us?" gasped Peter as they reached the next floor.

"I think he just shouted at us and went back in the kitchen", replied Jan, feeling self-conscious. "Oh look, I see target number five!" She rushed over to another pin board and pinned up the next sign.

"Jan", said Peter, lowering his voice. "I see something else." He pointed, and Jan looked down a corridor to see the large man who had shouted at them earlier giving a harsh ticking-off to one unfortunate student. The corridor was the only way along the second floor, and they couldn't risk that teacher seeing them again. Exchanging glances, they ran into an empty classroom, quickly shutting the door behind them.

"Hey Pete, you know what?" said Jan once they were inside. "We've got nowhere to go now!"

Peter stared up at a corner of the ceiling and then along. "I know what we can do", he exclaimed, gazing up at an open skylight in the ceiling. "Peter, we can't go through there, it'll be too dangerous", Jan protested. "Sure we can", he told her. "These desks are kind of big and heavy, and they're flat on the top, so what we could do is stand the teacher's chair on one of them, and then stand on that and get through the skylight that way!"

Jan stood staring at him. "What if this were the other way round, and Greg was trying to do something for us?" said Peter. Jan thought for a moment. "He'd see it through", she said decidedly. "He's Greg!"


	8. Chapter 8

Jan started shifting one of the desks. "Here, let me help you", insisted Peter, and together they moved the desk so that it stood just under the skylight. Peter grabbed the teacher's chair and positioned it on top before starting to climb onto the desk. "Hey Jan, give me your bag", he said. Jan passed her bag to Peter, who put it on his shoulder along with his satchel before climbing onto the desk. "Careful, Pete", said Jan as she held onto the chair. Peter stood on the chair and pushed back the window frame. He took off the two bags and swung them through the opening so that they landed on the roof. "Okay, here goes", he said, and as Jan watched, he managed to haul himself through the opening. "Made it!" he gasped. "Thank goodness I wore my jeans today."

"Thank goodness I wore my separated skirt", replied Jan as she clambered up to join him. She swung her legs up to get onto the roof, just as the chair fell from the desk. "Oh no!" she cried. "Do you think we'll need to come back this way?" she asked her brother, settling herself on the roof. Peter shrugged. "I guess we'll just see what happens", he answered.

The two of them stood up and put their bags over their shoulders. The roof was flat, with a three-foot wall around the perimeter. From where they were standing, they could see the tops of trees. "This would make a fantastic roof garden", said Jan.

"Hey Jan", hissed Peter. "Look over there!" He pointed to a figure crouched by the wall and pointing a camera over the top of it. Jan went over to the figure. It was a high school boy wearing an army cap, jeans and a denim jacket. As she got nearer, the boy took down his camera, turned around and looked at her with a highly displeased expression. "And who might you be?" he asked her.

Jan felt a little scared but also felt that she wasn't going to let this boy intimidate her. "My name's Jan", she told him, "and this is my brother Peter."

"Well, Jan and Peter, I don't think you're supposed to be here, so why don't you just go back where you came from?" he replied. Jan felt annoyed. "How about telling me whether you're supposed to be here?" she asked him.

"Like that's even any of your business", he retorted. "But you're not, though, are you?" interjected Peter.

The boy looked at Peter. "You got me!" he said, and then the three of them burst out laughing. "Not one of us is supposed to be here!" snickered Jan as the boy shook hands with them both. Feeling as if a bond had been formed, they all sat themselves down on the roof's surface.

"So Peter and Jan, how old are you?" the boy asked. "You don't even look old enough to be in high school."

Peter looked self-conscious. "We don't actually go to high school", he told him. "We're both in our last year at Filmore."

The boy looked surprised."Filmore Junior High?" he asked them. "So what are you doing at Fairview?"

"We're trying to track down a cheerleader", Jan replied. "It's to do with Greg Brady", added Peter. Jan tensed up for a moment. What would this boy have to say about Greg?

"I've never heard of Greg Brady", the boy stated, "and I have as little to do with cheerleaders as possible. The ones here are just trouble."

"How can you not have heard of Greg Brady?" Peter demanded. "He's the greatest football player Westdale ever had!"

Jan grinned. "We're kind of biased, because he's our brother", she explained. "I guess you don't follow high school football."

"Not in the slightest", the boy replied. "The jocks here are poison, as are most of the cheerleaders, and the teachers treat them all like royalty. My name's Link, by the way." Link and the two Bradys shook hands once again. "So what's been your modus operandi in tracking down cheerleaders?" he asked them.

"Our what?" asked Peter, looking confused. "He means how are we going about looking for them", Jan told him. Peter opened his satchel and showed them the signs he and Jan had been putting up. "I work at Haskell's, so I will be serving all the cheerleaders who come in", explained Jan.

"My advice would be to tread carefully", warned Link. "Fairview cheerleaders already act like they own the school – you don't want them lording it over you at your work as well."

"I'll bear that in mind", Jan said.

"And they all wear these enormous earrings, along with too much eye make-up", he continued. "I kinda like that sort of thing", observed Peter.

"It's for the birds", scoffed Link. "I think your sister has the right idea. Just wearing a small amount of make-up looks better."

"Well, I'm not about to draw attention to myself when I'm a Filmore girl and I'm sneaking around Fairview", exclaimed Jan, rolling her eyes.

"I'm serious", Link told her. "I've been looking out for a girl with a natural kind of look to photograph, and it'd be good if I could take some pictures of you right here."

Jan looked dubious. "Hey, why not?" said Peter enthusiastically. "I mean, most of the time, if a boy you just met asked you to pose for him, you'd need to be careful, but as long as I'm here…"

"I guess", said Jan, her face brightening into a smile. "After all, you do have a great left hook."

Ten minutes into the impromptu photo session and things were not going well. "Jan, you're looking too serious", Link complained as Jan leant against the wall.

"But obviously I'm going to be in a serious mood", she replied in a sullen tone. "We only came here in the first place because our brother's in trouble."

"Pete, does your sister always have this much of an attitude?" Link asked. "Tell you what, Jan, try having some of this", he continued, digging in his pocket. Jan went over to see what he was talking about. What he had was a pack of bubble gum. "Okay, that's groovy", she said in a flat tone, taking the pack and walking back to where she'd been standing.

"Sit down if you want to", Link told her. Jan sat cross-legged on the floor, popped the gum in her mouth and began chewing. "Ooh, grape flavour!" she exclaimed. Link took a shot. Jan looked at him and started blowing a first bubble. "Say, that's pretty good", said Peter as he watched. As the camera kept on clicking, the bubble was getting bigger. Suddenly it popped, covering the tip of Jan's nose. She laughed as she pulled it from her face and started chewing again. Peter was glad that she was relaxing a little more. Both boys laughed when she pulled a length of pink gum from her mouth. "Don't let Marcia catch you doing that!" said Peter. Marcia was not a fan of bubble gum, and always made a fuss when people stretched it out from their mouths as Jan was doing.

"Okay, we'll have Peter in the next lot of photos", Link said. He drew a small yellow water pistol from his pocket and handed it to Jan. "Right, Jan, aim the water pistol at Peter – Peter, put your hands up." Jan giggled. "It's like we're ten years old again", she said. Peter maintained a shocked expression, while Jan took aim with a mischievous smile on her face and Link snapped away.

"Ten years old", murmured Peter, while Link was loading new film into his camera. "That's how old we were when we first became a family."

"And now we're divided again", said Jan softly. "Only along different lines. It's strange."

"Alright then, folks", announced Link, who hadn't heard them. "We'll shoot one more reel's worth of pictures and then we'll have some lunch." Peter and Jan were actually quite happy to forget about their family's troubles for a while and goof around with the water pistol. They had each fixed themselves a big packed lunch, so they found they could share a lot of theirs with Link. Feeling they could trust Link, they explained Greg's predicament.

"I've not heard anything about a Westdale football player and a pregnant cheerleader", he told them. "But then I don't really go in for gossip, so I'd be the last to know any dirt on your brother. Listen", he continued. "All the kids will be breaking for lunch soon, so you'll be able to get around the school without standing out too much. And I can take you down the fire escape and back inside, and show you where to find more pin boards. And then after that, I can show you how to sneak out of the school."

The three of them soon finished their lunch, and Link led them to the fire escape as promised. He pushed open a gate which the Fairview teachers always assumed was locked and Peter hurried down the steps, eager to start pinning notices again. Link pressed something into Jan's hand. It was a folded piece of paper. She opened it up to find "DATE?" written on it, and a telephone number. Link was looking at her pleadingly.

"Call me, huh?" he said to her.


	9. Chapter 9

"Link gave me his number", Jan told Peter as they cycled through the Fairview district.

"You've got a high school boy interested in you!" Peter grinned. "Are you going to call him?"

"I don't know, Pete", Jan replied. "Mom and Dad probably wouldn't like me seeing a boy who cuts class to go up on the school roof. But I'll tell you what I want to do now."

"What's that?" asked Peter. "I want to phone Mr. Haskell and check that he's still on board with the cheerleader promotion", she told him. She cycled over to a phone booth, and Peter followed.

As Peter kept guard over both their bikes, Jan dialled the ice cream parlor's number. "Hi, Mr. Haskell", she said. "Is everything ready for the cheerleaders?"

"I've come up with a dessert for them", Mr. Haskell told her. "But it'll have to be all hands to the pump. There was one heck of a rush last time we did a free dessert promotion, and on top of that, the store room needs cleaning."

"Shall I get Marcia to come in?" asked Jan. Although Marcia had stopped working regularly at the ice cream parlor, it had been agreed that she could help out when things got extra busy. "Please do", replied Mr. Haskell. "Heck, you can even get that brother of yours to come in if he wants."

"I'll tell them both", Jan promised. "See you later, Mr. Haskell!" She put the phone down and hurried out of the booth to join Peter.

"Mr. Haskell's going to need extra help this afternoon", she told him as she climbed back onto her bike. "So you and Marcia will have to come in."

"Well, I could sure use the money", Peter replied. He had had a poor run of after school jobs – either he spent too long on one task or he ended up goofing off. "And I only have to hold it together for one afternoon."

Jan looked at her watch. "It's about time for lunch over at Westdale", she said. "They'll be waiting for us."

Peter and Jan had arranged to meet Greg and Marcia in a quiet spot on the edge of the Westdale grounds, so this time there was no need for the middle Bradys to sneak around campus. There were hugs all round as the four siblings met each other.

"So, have you been having fun playing hooky, kids?" giggled Marcia. "Jan got a Fairview boy's number", Peter told them with a grin. Jan told them about how they'd met Link, and how he'd helped them with pinning up the signs. "I wouldn't say he was your average Fairview boy, though", she ended.

"It sounds to me as if you really like him", said Greg mischievously. "Anyway, nothing out of the ordinary's been happening over here."

"Our brother's still reigning supreme as football hero", Marcia smiled.

"And if anyone other than Vicki's heard about Mary Jane, then they're being pretty quiet about it", continued Greg. "I've not seen Vicki but I know she isn't a loud mouth", observed Marcia. "So we'll just have to see how things work out at the ice cream parlor."

"You, me and Peter are working there this afternoon", explained Jan. "Mr. Haskell says it's all hands to the pump."

"All hands to the pump it is, then", said Marcia. "How are you two going to lay low before then?"

Peter and Jan looked at each other. They hadn't thought about how they'd spend the time when they would normally have afternoon lessons. "We'll think of something", Jan replied.

"Listen", said Greg. "I really appreciate what you two are doing for me, and I hope that it'll lead to us being a family again."

"Hey, you're our brother - would we let you down?" demanded Peter. He and Jan got on their bikes and told Greg and Marcia goodbye before cycling away from Westdale.

"I think I know where we could go next", said Jan. "We could go to that art museum Mom and Dad used to take us to when we were younger."

"It'd be better than hanging around the mall", Peter agreed. "And it's only Tuesday, so there won't be that many people there."

The museum was pretty much how Peter and Jan remembered it. Amiable middle-aged men in uniform, wooden parquet flooring, the smell of polish. As they'd suspected, it was pretty quiet. Jan wanted to look at the museum's primitive paintings. There was one in particular which she pointed out to Peter. "Right before we became a family, that used to be my, Marcia and Cindy's favorite painting", she told him. It was a 19th Century portrait of a boy with sandy hair and a blue suit. "We used to wish that boy could come home with us and be our adopted brother", she continued. "But after we'd gotten used to being Bradys, we were glad that you boys were our brothers instead." Peter looked at her and smiled. "And I'm glad that you three girls are my sisters", he replied.


	10. Chapter 10

Although being in the museum brought back a lot of memories, the two middle Bradys were careful to keep an eye on their watches; and to allow themselves plenty of time to cycle over to the ice cream parlor. They got there just as Marcia arrived on her bike. "Are we all ready for an afternoon of hard work?" she asked them. Darla, the middle-aged lady who worked there earlier in the day, was manning the counter. Mr. Haskell was waiting for them in the store room. "I'm curious to see how this promotion works out", he told them as he handed Marcia and Peter their uniforms. "Don't be too long getting changed, because I want to show you how to make the free dessert." Jan smiled. "I hope it's a yummy one", she said.

Once the three of them were changed, he led them out into the shop and over to the counter. "So here we go, kids, the Cheery Cherry Cheer. A whole banana, chocolate brownie ice cream and delectable cherry sauce. Now this is how you put them all together." Peter tried to pay attention to the instructions but his eyes kept straying to the front door. When would the cheerleaders start arriving?

"And how about this for the finishing touch?" said Mr. Haskell. He took a frosting gun, filled it with cherry sauce and wrote the name 'Marcia' on the banana. "Can you do that with all the free desserts?" asked Jan eagerly. "Just as long as we don't have a girl coming in named Esmeralda", said Mr. Haskell. He handed the three of them ice cream spoons. "Do you want to try it out?" Marcia took a spoonful. "Mmm", she said, "it's fantastic."

"It's wild", agreed Jan, also digging in. Peter tried a little. "Oh man", he said to Mr. Haskell, with is voice catching a little in his throat. "How come this isn't as famous as Knickerbocker Glory?"

"Perks of the job, huh?" laughed Darla, whose shift was now at an end. "The boss only came up with the recipe this morning. Okay, I'm just gonna change my duds and split – have a swell time, all of you."

"You too, Darla!"

"Bye!"

"See ya!"

As Darla went into the store room, two girls wearing Fairview cheerleader outfits walked in and made a beeline for the counter. Just as Link had said, they were both wearing big earrings and a lot of eye make-up, but Peter thought they looked pretty. "Can I help you?" he asked, eager to be of service. "We'd like two of the free desserts please", said one of the girls.

"Two of the free desserts? Why, of course!" said Peter. "Can you tell me your names please?"

"My name's Cleo."

"I'm Ashley."

"Cleo and Ashley, would you like to sit over here?" asked Peter, guiding them to the table furthest from the counter. "We'll bring you your desserts as soon they're ready."

Marcia and Jan were already hard at work putting two Cheery Cherry Cheers together. "Okay, so that's Cleo and Ashley", whispered Peter to his sisters. "No sign of a Mary Jane yet."

"Say, could one of you girls give the store room a going-over", asked Mr. Haskell. "I'll do it", offered Marcia. She thought it might be best to stay behind the scenes as much as possible, just in case Jerry Rogers came in.

When the desserts were made and Cleo and Ashley's names piped onto them, Peter brought them over on a fancy tray. "Your desserts, ladies", he said, with a little bow.

After Cleo and Ashley, there was a steady trickle of Fairview cheerleaders. Peter was at his most charming as he took names, showed the girls to their seats and served them their desserts. The girls clustered around the tables, laughing and gossiping. A few high school boys came in as well but not as many as Mr. Haskell had been hoping for. The mysterious Mary Jane continued to be conspicuous by her absence.

Just as Mr. Haskell was wondering when the cheerleaders from the other high schools were going to show up, Peter noticed Cleo and Ashley were both looking at him. Cleo beckoned him over. "I've just realized", she said. "You know our names but we don't know yours."

"You really wanna know?" he asked them bashfully. The two girls nodded. "My name's Peter", he said. "Hi Peter", said Ashley. "Would you like to come and sit with us?"

"I'd love to", he said, feeling flattered by the attention, "but I can't stay and chat for too long. Hey, do you think any more cheerleaders from your school are going to drop in?" Cleo looked around. "I'd say this was pretty much all of the cheerleading squad", she told him.

So Mary Jane's not a cheerleader, Peter thought. Then something occurred to him. "I'm just about to go on my break", he said. "Maybe we could go around the back and talk."

"I'd like that", said Ashley. "I would too", agreed Cleo. "Groovy", said Peter. "Mr. Haskell, I'm just going to take ten minutes."

"Well, don't make it a long ten minutes", replied Mr. Haskell. The ice cream parlor was at the end of the block, so it didn't take long for Peter and the girls to stroll around to the small parking lot in back of the premises. Peter's eye was caught by a neat looking Chevrolet Corvette. "That's my new car", Cleo told him. "It's pretty wild, huh?" Peter grinned and nodded. This wasn't like the disastrous double date with Sandra and Linda, he told himself. These girls were only slightly older than he was, and they seemed genuinely pleased to have him along with them. And anyway, if Jan could get asked out by Link…

Peter, Cleo and Ashley settled down on the back steps. The parking lot was a little untidy, with a few empty soda bottles here and there - along with California poppies blooming in the cracks of the cement. Meanwhile, the door to the storeroom was slightly ajar, and Peter could hear Marcia busily working away in there. He took off his hat and started playing with it. "Are there a lot of pretty girls at your school?" he asked them.

I'm doing this all wrong, he thought. If it was Greg doing the talking, he'd ask "Are all the girls at your school as pretty as you?".

"What do you think of all our cheerleaders?" Cleo asked him. "Yeah", said Peter nodding. "They all look like really nice girls. Actually, I was wondering", he continued, spinning his hat around his hand. "Do you happen to know a girl called Mary Jane?"


	11. Chapter 11

At the mention of the name Mary Jane, Ashley rolled her eyes. "That bimbo", she said.

"Peter, I don't know why you'd be interested in knowing about Mary Jane", said Cleo. "She really is an appalling example of American femalehood."

"I absolutely hate her", declared Ashley. A childhood memory came back to Peter - he had been wading through a stream with his friends when suddenly the pleasantly cool water around his bare legs became icy cold. In a similar way, it seemed that the conversation could only get more unpleasant. However, he was going to have to stay the course. Maybe think back to all those times he was in the school nurse's office having an injection, and try to keep a brave face. After all, his brother was relying on him.

"Hey", said Cleo. "You know that Mary Jane rhyme?"

"Oh", replied Peter. "'What's your name – Mary Jane, where d'you live – down the lane', that one?"

"That's right", said Ashley. "We've gone one better", Cleo told him. "We've got a Mary Jane song we made up. All the cheerleaders sing it."

"Do you want us to sing it for you?" asked Ashley. Peter nodded.

Ashley began singing heartily. "Oh tell me, what's her name?"

Cleo took up the next line. "Her name is Mary Jane."

"Oh tell me where she lives."

"She lives right down the lane."

"Oh tell me, what's her number?"

"Her number is cucumber."

"Oh tell me, what's her address?"

"Her address is watercress."

"She gets with all the champs."

"Cause she's the Fairview Tramp."

"Oh say, who popped her cherry?"

"His name is Alfie Berry."

"Oh who gave her the clap?"

"His name is Elwood Shapps."

"Oh who fathered her baby?"

"His name, it is Greg Brady."

"Oh who…"

Peter kicked over one of the soda bottles next to the steps. "Okay!" he growled, getting up and stepping away from them. "Those are real people you're singing about", he said, turning to face them, "and none of this is funny!"

"I don't think it's funny either." The two girls heard a voice behind them and turned round. Marcia was looking down at them with a broom in her hand. "So how do you know this Mary Jane?" she asked them.

"She, uh, goes to our school", said Cleo. "And does she really have the clap?" asked Marcia, passing the broom to her other hand.

"No", said Ashley, looking frightened. "And is she really pregnant?" asked Peter.

"No, she's never been pregnant", said Ashley, beginning to cry. "It was only a joke", protested Cleo.

"Well I'll be glad to tell that to Greg Brady", said Marcia, with her arms folded. "He just happens to be our brother."

"Uh, erm, we didn't realize", said Cleo, staring down at her feet. "We're sorry", wailed Ashley, and the girls dashed into the Corvette. Within a matter of seconds, Cleo started up the engine and the two of them sped away.

"Honestly, the things some people will stoop to", said Marcia. "I guess bullies come in all shapes and sizes", observed Peter.

"Anyway", Marcia smiled, "that's Mary Jane and Greg off the hook, and I think we taught those twisted little girls a thing or two. I say we have some ice cream to celebrate."

"Groovy!" The two of them went inside, through the store room and into the ice cream parlor itself. What they saw next took them completely by surprise.


	12. Chapter 12

The ice cream parlor, which had been filled with teenage girls when Peter left, was almost empty. Instead of standing behind the counter, Mr. Haskell was sweeping the floor; while Jan was sat at one of the tables talking to a girl. "Did something happen?" asked Marcia. There's the weirdest vibe about the place, thought Peter, as if something really heavy's just been going down. Another thing that struck Peter was that the girl was wearing a Fairview cheerleader's outfit but Peter was pretty sure she hadn't been there when he went on his break.

Mr. Haskell sighed and shook his head. "We only had to close the place because all the other cheerleaders were picking on this poor girl", he said. The girl looked as if she had already been crying, now she sobbed and reached for a paper napkin to wipe her eyes with. "Don't use that – here, I've got some tissue", said Jan, passing one from her apron pocket.

"Thanks", said the girl. She had long brown hair styled into fancy ringlets, and cute freckles. "I only came in here because I wanted to show those witches I wasn't afraid of them."

"But then as soon as she sat down, the other cheerleaders started making trouble", explained Jan.

"They started talking about me as if I couldn't hear them", the girl carried on. "They were saying, 'Oh, she isn't even on the cheerleading squad anymore, she shouldn't be here.' So I said, 'This is a public place, I've got as much right to come here as you have' and then they started being mean to my face and saying that I was a piece of trash and that I ought to go home."

"It was awful", Jan told them. "Anyway, the long and the short of it is that they were so horrible to her, we ended up throwing them out."

"Wow", exclaimed Peter. "Fairview are the pits!" Marcia gave him one of her looks. "Not you, obviously", he said to the girl.

"I wouldn't call them the pits", commented Mr. Haskell, who was now collecting all the empty ice cream dishes on to a tray. "I'd call them fiends in human form."

"That's what it can be like when certain kinds of girls get together", Marcia sighed, shaking her head.

"If you kids'll excuse me, I'm going to start on the dishes", Mr. Haskell answered, carrying the tray out into the kitchen. Peter and Marcia pulled up a chair each and sat down with Jan and the girl.

"Oh, I haven't told any of you my name yet", the girl told them, putting out her hand. "My name's Mary Jane."

"It is?" gasped Jan. "We've been looking for you!" Peter said, and he, Jan and Marcia explained the whole story – from Cindy coming home with her 'pretty awful secret' to the scene that had just taken place in the parking lot. Mary Jane listened carefully.

"Do you know what?" she exclaimed once the tale was told. "It doesn't surprise me in the least about Cleo."

"Has she always been like that?" asked Peter. Mary Jane sighed.

"It started a couple of months ago", she said. "Cleo thought she was the Queen of Fairview High because she was the head cheerleader and her boyfriend played halfback on the football team, and all of us in the cheerleading squad were good friends. But then the boyfriend broke up with her and tried asking me out. I told him I wasn't interested but word got back to Cleo, and she and Ashley started spreading all these rumours that I was this tramp and I'd do anything for any football player."

"That's terrible!" exclaimed Marcia.

"I mean, I'd said that I thought your brother was cute but they ended up making a big thing of it, and they came up with that song. Even my mother thought it must be true but I told her I was still a virgin, and that I'd even go to a gynaecologist and have them examine me if she thought I was lying!" Mary Jane burst into tears once again.

"You know what?" Marcia told her. "It's all over now, and you can come and help us explain everything to our brother."

"I'll do that", agreed Mary Jane. "Just as long as he isn't angry with me."


	13. Chapter 13

Mr. Haskell had decided he'd had enough excitement for one day, so he shut up shop, leaving Marcia, Jan and Peter to change out of their uniforms and go. Like the three Bradys, Mary Jane had arrived at the ice cream parlor by bike but unlike them, she'd left it chained to a lamppost a block or two away. They had a lot to talk about as they cycled back to the Brady house, yet as they came closer, Mary Jane started to worry again about how Greg would react to her. Thinking about the way the different members of the household had taken sides, she suspected that the situation wouldn't be all that easy to diffuse.

When the four of them arrived, there was no sign of anyone. "Mom? Bobby? Cindy?" called Jan. "I'm pretty sure the house must be empty", sighed Marcia. "I'm going to try Mom and Dad's room", replied Jan, hurrying upstairs. "And if there's no-one there, I'm going to keep a look-out from their window." Mike and Carol's bedroom was the only one which looked out onto the front of the house. "I'll try all the other bedrooms", said Peter, going after her.

"Mary Jane, you try the kitchen over there", said Marcia as she quickly checked the den.

"Goodness, didn't anyone leave a note?" asked Mary Jane as she and Marcia searched through the downstairs area.

"Bobby did", replied Peter, rushing downstairs again with a large piece of paper. "He left this on my bed." The paper had been folded in half, and Bobby had written 'Mr B Arnold' on it. When Peter got downstairs, he unfolded it and showed it to Marcia and Mary Jane.

"Dear Sell Out", it read. "Mom, Alice, Cindy and me have gone to the movies to see Robin Hood, and we'll be having burgers afterwards. The five of you can do what you like about food. Mom and Alice have decided to put off doing the normal Tuesday supermarket shop, so there's only what's left of last week's groceries in the kitchen. If Greg's feeling extra-hungry, I think there's still a couple of tins of Tiger's old dog food some place. Your brother, Bobby Brady."

"Huh", commented Peter. "My brother the stinker." Just then, Jan came running down the stairs. "I've just seen Greg walking down the street", she told them. Marcia ran to the front door and opened it.

"Greg!" she hollered. "We've got Mary Jane with us!" Greg broke into a run, and he burst through the front doorway in a matter of seconds. "Well, where is she?" he cried. Thinking he heard a noise from outside, he hurried through the glass doors and out onto the patio. Mary Jane was so overcome with nerves, she was sitting on the brick planter by the patio and being sick onto Carol's flowers.

"So you are a cheerleader", he said, noticing her outfit. "But it beats me why a pregnant girl is still doing cheers", he added in disgust.

"Greg, she's not pregnant", Peter told him as he, Marcia and Jan appeared on the patio.

"That's right", said Marcia. "And she's even more a victim in this than you are", and while Peter and Jan went through the tale for a second time for Greg's benefit, she fetched Mary Jane a glass of water and then went indoors to phone Mike and recount the story to him.

"Wow", said Greg when they were through. "Mary Jane, I'm sorry. You've really been through the mill." Marcia came through the glass doors. "Dad said we could order Chinese food", she told them. "He's going to pay for all of us, including you, Mary Jane. And he thinks he knows which movie theater is showing Robin Hood, so he's going to ring the theater to find out when it ends and then meet the others outside. And Greg, he says he knew his trust in you would pay off!"

As Alice, Carol, Bobby and Cindy came out of the theater, they were surprised to find Mike waiting outside in the convertible, with the top down and a big grin on his face. "Greg hasn't let us down", he told them as they drifted over to the car in amazement. "Bobby, Cindy, your brothers and sisters are terrific!"

"What's going on, Mike?" asked Carol.

"Get in, and I'll tell you all", he replied.

"Well, Mr. Brady, I guess that leaves us no choice", commented Alice as she and the others took their places in the car. "It's quite a story", he informed them as he put the top up. "And it isn't X-rated in the slightest!"


	14. Chapter 14

"Oh Greg", cried Alice as soon as she saw him. "I don't think I can ever forgive myself."

"Alice, don't be silly", smiled Greg, and kissed her cheek. "I forgive you."

"Greg, I should have known better", sighed Carol.

"Mom, don't worry about it", Greg replied, kissing her cheek in turn. "Just be glad that we're a family again.

"It's all my fault", frowned Cindy. "I should have gone to you first instead of blabbing to all the others."

Greg laughed. "Never mind, Cindy, you'll know how to handle secrets another time", he told her, and kissed her cheek too.

"Greg, I'm sorry for shooting my mouth off – hey, don't kiss me!" Bobby protested as Greg kissed his brother on the cheek.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Jan went to answer it. "It's our delivery!" she called excitedly, and nearly everyone rushed to take the food over to the dining table. "Greg, Marcia, can you come with me a minute?" asked Carol, beckoning the two oldest kids over to the den.

Inside the den, Carol took down a file from one of the shelves and opened it up. She took out a folded sheet of paper and carried it over to the desk. Greg and Marcia followed after her.

"This is my marriage certificate from my first wedding", she told them as she unfolded the paper.

"You got married at St. Bartholomew's!" cried Marcia. "That's such a pretty church."

"But it wasn't everything I'd hoped for, Marcia", said Carol. "Look at the date."

Marcia looked. "Why", she exclaimed. "That's only five months before I was born!"

"That's right", Carol told them. "Marcia, your first Dad and I had a shotgun wedding. He took a lot of persuading to do the right thing, and it was only after I went and dropped out of college that he agreed to marry me." She shook her head. "If there's one thing I don't want for any of you kids, or for anyone you might get involved with, it's for you to have to grow up too quickly like I did."

"Well, I'm not about to do that", replied Greg. "I like being a teenager too much to suddenly become a married man." Marcia sighed. "This is such a groovy time to be young", she said. "I would never want to spoil any of my opportunities by becoming pregnant. I mean, there are some girls who say I go home every afternoon and polish my halo but the most important thing for me isn't reputation, or hanging onto some kind of purity – it's being able to do everything I want to while I still can."

Greg gave Carol a hug. "You must have been through a lot", he told her. Marcia joined in the hug. "I guess that's why you were so angry at Greg, huh?" she said to her mother. Carol nodded. "Well, you may not have had a good time being Mrs. Martin but you've always been a wonderful mother, and I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

"But why wouldn't you ask Mary Jane for a date?" asked Cindy as she sat out in the yard with her brothers. Mary Jane herself had gone home by this time.

"Cindy, stop nagging", replied Greg in an exasperated tone. "Mary Jane's cute and all, and we all enjoyed having her round for dinner, but she's just not the kind of girl I'd be interested in dating."

"You could always change your mind", stated Bobby.

"Well Bobby, you'll remember she told us that she's transferring to Westdale, so if I do change my mind, I'll have plenty of opportunity to ask her", Greg told them. "Only I just don't see that happening."

Cindy twisted her left braid sulkily. "I wanted this whole thing to have a romantic ending, and now you're just spoiling it for me", she groused. "A movie and a Chinese meal on the same day, and you still find stuff to complain about", sighed Greg.

A glint came into Peter's eye. "Hey, you know what, Cindy?" he told his younger sister. "Jan just met a boy who likes her, and he gave her his phone number."

Cindy's eyes looked as if they were about to pop. "You mean she got his phone number and she hasn't called him yet?" she exclaimed. She got up and scampered into the kitchen, where Jan was helping Alice.

"Jan, do you know what Peter just told me?" she said. "I already heard", Jan replied. "But I'm not going to ring him – he's a bit kinda pushy, if you really want to know." Peter came in after Cindy. "Link really likes you, you know", he said to Jan. "And don't forget, he's a high school boy."

Marcia came running into the kitchen from the living room. "Jan, is this the boy you were telling us about earlier on?" she asked excitedly. "What's his name?"

"It doesn't matter, because I'm not going to ring him", retorted Jan. Greg and Bobby were coming in now. "Anyway, I'm not sure he likes me that much", she continued. "Oh, come on, Jan, don't sell yourself short", Greg told her. "Yeah, come on, Jan", echoed Bobby. "Give me one good reason why not", asked Alice.

"Mom and Dad probably won't like me seeing him", Jan told her. "When I met him, he was cutting class."

"I see", said Alice. "Well, you could talk to them and see what they have to say."

"Okay", replied Jan. "Anything to get these jokers off my back."

She went over to the den and knocked at the door. "Come in", called Mike. As Jan went into the den, she saw her parents sitting next to each other on the couch, holding both of each other's hands. "What can we do for you, Jan?" her father asked.

Jan hesitated for a moment. Then she said, "What would you say if I told you there's this boy who's asked me for a date, and he's real nice, but he…" She trailed off.

"Well", said Carol. "Now that your brother HASN'T got a girl pregnant", she pretended to wipe sweat from her brow, "I think we'd be open to most things." Mike looked at Jan. "What is it we need to worry about?" he asked her. "Sex? Drugs? Rock'n'Roll?"

"Cutting class", replied Jan. Mike looked perturbed. "You're cutting class or he is?"

Jan decided to explain. "Peter and I met this boy Link when we went to Fairview today, and he was taking photographs when he was supposed to be in lessons."

"And does Link often cut class?" asked Mike. "I don't know", said Jan thoughtfully. "But he doesn't seem to like Fairview much." Mike and Carol looked at each other and then they both looked at Jan.

"You know", said Carol. "Your father and I have never tried to tell any of you kids who you can and can't be friends with, and if we've learned one thing from all of this, it's that we've raised the six of you to have good sense and that you know how to use it. So just because the boy you like has been cutting class, it doesn't follow that you'll do the same."

"But there's already one Fairview student who's transferring to Westdale", said Mike. "And if Link doesn't enjoy Fairview, you might want to suggest to him that he looks into transferring as well."

"Thanks Mom and Dad", said Jan, bending to kiss them both. She felt very cheerful as she headed out of the den and over to the phone in the living room. Glad to see there was no one else in sight, she took Link's number out of her pocket and dialled it. "Hello", she said. "Can I speak to Link? Oh hi there. Yes, that's right, it's Jan Brady." She didn't notice Cindy peeking around the corner. Cindy snuck away again and into the kitchen, where the other kids were waiting along with Alice.

"She's on the phone to him!" she told them. They all looked at each other and smiled. "Good for Jan", said Marcia. "She's worked so hard to make everything come right, she deserves this!"

"Hey Greg", said Bobby. "I think this fortune cookie is yours." Greg reached out for the cookie. "You're right, I never opened mine." He pulled it apart and read the slip of paper. "Let's see, 'All's well that ends well'. I suppose I can't argue with that."

Marcia spotted another slip of paper stuck to one of the dishes. "I think this one was Jan's", she commented. "What does it say?" asked Cindy.

"It says 'Look for a diamond in the rough'", read Marcia.

"Look for a diamond in the rough?" grinned Peter. "I think she already found one."


End file.
